Grinding machine



A. G. BELDEN GRINDING MACHINE July 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 18, 1948 N wi E N9 o N 5mm BERT G. BELIUEN a mi A. G. BELDEN GRINDING MACHINE July 3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1948 W m m m 2 r 2Q EUR. YWFMZMQ Tmwfi mi Ii 2% .m 4m m m@ u v9 PQ wQ in: zmm

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xmmi QQE QEiIR Patented July 3, 1951 GRINDING MACHINE Albert G. Belden, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Norton Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 18, 1948, Serial No. 44,929 8 Claims. (CI. 5195) The invention relates to grinding machines, and more particularly to a work driving and controlling mechanism for a cylindrical type grinding machine.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and thoroughly practical work driving and controlling mechanism for a cylindrical type grinding machine. Another object is to provide a work driving and controlling mechanism for producing a continuously diminishing speed of the work piece during a grinding cycle. Another object is to provide a work driving mechanism which is arranged automatically and continuously to change the speed of rotation of the work from an initial grinding speed to a final grinding speed during the grinding operation. Another object of the invention is to provide an electrically controlled work driving mechanism automatically to produce a gradually and continuously diminishing work speed. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the mechanical features of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional viewv through a grinding machine embodying the invention, showing the wheel feeding mechanism and part of the control apparatus for the work driving mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the hydraulic actuating mechanism for the work rotation control;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view,- on an enlarged scale, taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig; 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an electrical diagram of the work driving and controlling apparatus therefor.

A grinding machine has been illustrated in the drawings comprising a base I0 which serves as a. support for a transversely movable wheel slide II. The wheel slide ll serves as a support for a rotatable grinding wheel l2 which is mounted I keyed within a rotatable sleeve 38.

2 on one end of a rotatable wheel spindle l3. The other end of the wheel spindle I3 is provided with a pulley I4 which is connected by v-belts l5 with a motor pulley 16 mounted on an elec-.

tric motor I! which is adjustably supported on the upper surface of the wheel slide l l.

The base l0 also serves as a support for a longitudinally reciprocable work table 20. A flat way 2| and a V-way 22 are provided on the base III for slidably supporting the work table 20. The work table 20 serves as a support for a headstock 23 which will be more fully described hereinafter. v

A manually operable table traversing mechanism is provided for' traversing the table 20 longitudinally to position a work piece in the desired relationship with the grinding wheel l2.

' This mechanism may comprise a rack bar 25 depending from the under side of the work table 20. The rack bar 25 meshes with a gear 26 mounted on the inner -end of a rotatable shaft 21. A manually operable traverse wheel 28 is mounted on theouter end of the shaft 21 by means of which the table II maybe traversed longitudinally relative to the base ill in either direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the hand wheel 28.

A wheel feeding mechanism is provided for manually feeding the grinding wheel toward and from the work comprising a half nut which meshes with a rotatable feed screw 36. A reduced integral feed screw shaft 31 projects toward the front of the machine and is slidably The sleeve 38 is rotatably journaled in a bearing 39 which is fixedly mounted relative to the base III. A gear 40 is keyed on the sleeve 39 and meshes with a pinion 4| formed on the inner end of a rotatable shaft 42. The shaft 42 is journaled'in bearings 43 and 44 which are fixedly mounted relative to the base III. A feed wheel 45 having a micrometer adjusting device 46 is rotatably supported on a stud 41. A gear 48 is mounted to rotate with the feed wheel 45 and meshes with a gear 49. The gear 49 is rotatably supported on a stud 50. A gear 5| is formed integrally with the gear 49 and meshes with a gear 52 which is keyed on the outer end of the shaft 42. The micrometer adjusting mechanism 46 and the hand wheel 45 are substantially identical with that shown in the expired U. S. patent to Norton No. 762,838 dated June 14, 1904, to which reference may be had for details of disclosure not contained herein.

It is desirable to provide a power operated mechanism for rapidly moving the grinding wheel slide II toward and from an operative position and for controlling the infeeding movement of the grinding wheel I2 during a grinding operation. In the preferred construction, a hydraulically operated mechanism is provided for controlling the axial movement of the feed screw 36. The rear end of the feed screw 36 is rotatably journalled in a sleeve 55 which is slidably keyed within an aperture formed in a frame 56. A fluid pressure cylinder 51 is fixedly mounted relative to the frame 56 and contains a slidably mounted piston 58 which is connected by means of a piston rod 59 with the slidably mounted sleeve 55. A

cylinder chamber 68 and a cylinder chamber 6I are formed at opposite ends of the cylinder 58.

A fluid pressure system is provided for supplying fluid under pressure to actuate the piston 58. This system may comprise a reservoir 65 formed within the base I8 of the machine. Fluid is drawn from the reservoir 65 through a pipe 86 by means of a motor driven fluid pump 61. The pump 61 forces fluid under pressure through a pipe 88 to a feed control valve 69. The control valve 69 is a piston type control valve comprising a valve stem l 18 having valve pistons H, 12, 13 and 14 formed integrally therewith. Fluid under pressure passing through the pipe 68 enters a valve chamber 15 located between the valve pistons I2 and 13 and passes through a passage 16 into the cylinder chamber 68 to move the piston 58 toward the right into a rearward or inoperative position. During this movement of the piston, fluid within the cylinder chamber BI is exhausted through a passage I1, through a valve chamber 18 formed between the valve pistons H and 12, and exhausts through a pipe 19 into the reservoir 65. A compression spring 88 normally serves to hold the valve stem 18 in its right hand end position and a solenoid 8| is provided which when energized in a manner to be hereinafter described serves to shift the valve stem 18 toward the left to initiate a rapid approaching movement of the piston 58, the wheel slide I I and the grinding wheel I2.

A fluid pressure feed regulating mechanism is provided for modifying the rapid approaching movement caused by the piston 58 to obtain a controlled and predetermined feeding movement of the grinding wheel I2. This mechanism may comprise a self-contained dash pot feed regulator comprising a pair of dash pot cylinders 85 and 86 which are arranged on diametrically opposite sides of a rearwardly extending portion of the piston rod 59. The dash pot cylinders 85 and 86 contain dash pot pistons 81 and 88 respectively. The dash pot pistons 81 and 88 are normally held in rearward or right hand positions by means of compression springs. The rapid approaching movement of the wheel as governed by movement of the piston 58 continues until an adjustable collar 89 carried by the right hand end of the piston rod 59 engages the ends of the dash pot pistons 81 and 88 after which fluid exhausts from the dash pot cylinders through a needle valve 98. By throttling the exhaust of fluid from the dash pot cylinders 85 and 86, the rapid approaching movement of the piston 58 may be reduced to a desired and predetermined feeding movement as governed by the setting of the needle valve 98. It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that by adjustment of the needle valve 98, the rate of grindin feed may be readily adjusted as desired.

The grinding infeedof the wheel I2 continues until a positive stop collar 9I adjustably mounted which is automatically controlled in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The headstock 28 is preferably driven by an adjustable speed compound wound D. C. electric motor 93. The motor 93 is provided with a driving pulley 94 which is connected by means of V-belts 95 with a pulley 96 carried by a shaft 91.

I The shaft 91 is drivingly connected to rotate a headstock spindle 98 by means of a belt drive (not shown).

In order to obtain an automatic continuously diminishing speed of the work during a grinding operation, a suitable electric control apparatus is provided for the headstock motor 93. This mechanism ma comprise a Selsyn generator I88 which is arranged through a Selsyn control panel, to be hereinafter described, to control an electronic control apparatus so as to provide a con- 'tinuously diminishing speed of the headstock motor 93 as the grinding operation proceeds. By varying the position of the Selsyn generator rotor, an alternating current excitation voltage is impressed on the Selsyn primary winding which induces unequal voltages in the Selsyn secondary windings depending on the position of the primary rotor. These induced voltages, varying by a mechanical positioning of the rotor, serve to produce the desired diminishing speed of the headstock motor 93. The control mechanism for the Selsyn rotor may comprise a hydraulically operated mechanism comprising a cylinder I8I which contains a slidably mounted piston I82. The piston I82 is connected to one end of a piston rod I83, the other end of which is connected to a slidably mounted rack bar I88. The rack bar I86 meshes with a gear I mounted on one end of a rotatable shaft I86. The other end of the shaft I86 supports an adjustably mounted eccentric I81, the adjustment of which will be described hereinafter. A follower I88 engages the periphery of the eccentric I81 and is connected to one end of a slide rod I89. A compression spring I I8 serves normally to maintain the follower I88 in operative engagement with the peripheral surface of the eccentric I81. The follower I88 is mounted on one end of the slide rod I89, the other end of which is connected to a rack bar I I I. The rack bar III meshes with a gear II2 which is mounted on the outer end of a rotor shaft II3 of the Selsyn generator I88. To facilitate adjustment of the rotor of the Selsyn generator I88 relative to the actuating mechanism therefor; a flanged sleeve M311 is keyed on the rotor shaft I I3. The gear I I2 is supported on the sleeve H311 and is held in position thereon by means of a collar II3b. It will be readily apparent that loosening the collar II3b, the sleeve II3cL may be given a rotary adjustment to adjust the rotor shaft I I3 as desired.

Fluid under pressure is supplied to the cylinder I8I from the feed control valve 69. A pipe II4 connects the valve chamber 18 of the feed control valve 69 with a cylinder chamber H5 formed at the left hand end of the cylinder I8I. A pipe 6 connects the valve chamber 15 with a cylinder chamber II1 formed at the right hand end of the cylinder I8I. A throttle valve H8 is provided in the pipe line II4 to facilitate adjusting the flow of fluid through the pipe II4 mounted on the eccentric I01.

provided to by-pass the solenoid valve' II9so that on the return stroke of the piston I02,

that is toward the left (Figs. 1 and 2) ,fiuid may pass unrestricted through the pipe II4 even though the valve H9 is closed. A throttle valve I 2| isprovided in the pipe II6 to facilitate adjusting the fluid passing through the pipe m; as desired. By adjustment of the throttle valves I I8 and I21, the speed of movement of the piston I02 may be varied as desired. If" it is desired to render the Selsyn generator I inoperative, both of the valves I I8 and I 2| may be closed so- 6 again be clamped to lock the eccentric in ad- Justed position'relatlve to the shaft, I06.

Electric power is supplied from any suitable source through the power lines I34 (Fig. 6) and that no motion of the piston I02 is permitted.

To facilitate a rapid approaching movement of the grinding wheel before the Selsyn generator I00 starts movement, a suitable electric control mechanism is provided comprising a normally, open limit switch I22 mounted in the base I0 of the machine. An adjustable cam or dog I23 is adjustably mounted on the wheel slide II so that when a forward approaching movement of the wheel slide II is initiated, thelrapid approaching movement will continue and the speed of rotation of the work drive motor 93 will be maintained at its initial speed until the adjustable cam I23 engages and closes the normally open limit switch I22 to energize and open the solenoid valve II9. When the solenoid valve H9 is opened, fluid under pressure may pass from the valve chamber 18 through the pipe II4, through the throttle valve II8 into the cylinder chamber II 5 to move the piston I02 toward the right. The movement of the piston I02 toward the right serves through the rack and gear mechanism above described to transmit a controlled rotary motion to the rotor of the Selysn generator I00 thereby producing a continuously reducing. speed of the motor 93 during the grinding operation.

During movement of the piston I02 toward the right, fluid within-the cylinder chamber II1 exhausts through the pipe II 6, through the valve I2I, into the valve chamber 15 and passes out through the pipe 19 into the reservoir 65.

In'order to adjust the rotary motion imparted to the rotor of the Selsyn generator I00, it is desirable to provide an adjustable mounting for the eccentric I01 so that it may be adjusted in i a direction normal to the shaft'I06. The shaft I06 is provided with an integral flange I25. The eccentric I01 is provided with a pair of parallel elongated slots I26 and I21. A pair of screws I28 and I29 pass through elongated slots I26 and I21 respectively and are screw threaded into the flange I25. The screws I28 and I29 serve to clamp the eccentric I01 in adjusted position on the flange I25. To facilitate a precise adjustment of the eccentric I01, an adjusting screw I30 is carried by a boss I3I which is fixedly The screw I30 meshes with a nut I32 which is fixedly supported on the end of the shaft I06. To adjust the position of the eccentric I01 relative to the shaft I06 it is merely necessary to loosen clamping screws I28 and I29 and then to adjust the screw I30 so as to position the eccentric I 01 as desired. After the desired adjustment has been made, the clamping screws I28 and I28 may a main control switch I35. From the main switch I35 current flows through lines I36 (Fig.6) to lines I36 (Fig. 1) to control the grinding wheel feeding mechanism of the machine. A start switch I31v and a stop switch I38 are arranged to be actuated by a pivotally mounted control lever I39 which is supported on a stud I40 on the front of the machine base I0. When the lever I39 is rocked in a counter-clockwise direction-to actuate the start switch 31, current is passed to energize an electric time delay relay I42 which is arranged to control the over-all feeding cycleincluding the rapid approaching movement, the slower grinding infeed and the dwell of the grinding wheel I2 which occurs thereafter before the wheel is removed to a rearward or inoperative position. The time relay I42 is one of the standard electrically operated adjustable time delay relays, such as that known as the Microflex instantaneous reset timer manufactured by the Eagle Signal Corporation of Moline, Illinois. The grinding wheel feeding mechanism above described together with the time delay relay I42 are identical with that shown in the prior'U. S. patent to B. H. Goehring No. 2,151,660 dated March 21, 1939, to which reference may be had for details of disclosure not contained herein.

When the time delay relay I42 is energized at the start of a grinding cycle, a circuit is closed to energize the solenoid 8I so as to shiftthe control valve 69 toward the left so .as to initiate a rapid approaching movement of the grinding wheel. The rapid approaching movement continues as above described until the adjustable sleeve 89 engages the ends of the dash pot pistons 81 and 88 after which the rapid approaching movement of the grinding wheel I2 is slowed down to a predetermined grinding speed which continues until the positive stop sleeve 9| engages the stop surface 92 which positively limits the infeed of the grinding wheel and allows the grinding wheel to remain stationary until the time delay relay I42 after a predetermined time interval breaks the circuit so as to deenergize the solenoid 8| after which the released compression of the spring shifts the valve 69 toward the right into the position illustrated in Fig. 1 thus terminating a grinding cycle.

Power from the main switch I35 is also supplied to a transformer I44 which is connected to supply electric current to operate and control the headstock motor 93. A start switch I45 and a stop-jog switch I46 are provided for controlling the starting, stopping and jogging of the headstock motor 93. When the start switch I45 is closed the rotationof the headstock motor 93 is started. When the stop-jog switch I46 is shifted to close the jog contacts, a relay switch I41 is energized to close a circuit so as to jog the headstock motor 93. Assuming that the rotor of the Selsyn generator I00 is in a starting position, the headstock motor 93 will be started and ru at a desired initial speed.

An electronic control apparatus I48 such as a Thy-Mo-Trol manufactured by the General Electric Company and covered by the U. S. patent to E. E. Moyer et al. No. 2,312,117 is provided for controlling the speed of the headstock motor 93. The 'I'hy-MO-Trol control apparatus contained in the panel I48 is substantially identical with that shown in tre U. S. patent above referred to speed of the headstock motor 93, the manually operable potentiometer of the electronic control panel is replaced by the Selsyn generator I80 and the Selsyn control panel I49 (Fig. 6).

In operation an alternating current excitation voltage impressed on the Selsyn primary winding induces unequal voltages in the Selsyn secondary windings depending on the position of the primary motor. These induced voltages varying by the mechanical position of the rotor as controlled by the cycle cam or eccentric mechanism above described set up currents which are fed into the Selsyn control panel I49. These generated signals are then stepped up and rectified to the proper value necessary for a reference voltage to connect with the headstock drive motor 93 and the electronic control panel I48. This reference voltage or speed signal, varying as the Selsyn rotor changes position, replaces the reference voltage variable by manual potentiometer method, and is fed to the usual voltage divider circuit normally controlling the amplifier tube for the armature voltage thyratron tubes. Thus the D. C. motor speed is a function of the angular displacements of the Selsyn rotor.

The Selsyn speed control panel I49 consists of a pair of transformers I55 and I56 whose primary windings are connected in series. The legs of the three star-connected secondary winding I51 of the Selsyn generator I82) are connecte to the transformers I55 and I56 in such a man ner that one leg I58 of the Selsyn star-connected windings is hooked to the mid point of the two tied-in transformer "primaries, the second lc I!) is connected to one end of the transformer hook-up and the third leg I68 to the remaining end of the transformer hook-up.

The double winding secondaries of the transformers I55 and I56 are in turn independently hooked-up to each plate of two twin diode 6X5GT tubes IBI and I62 to obtain a full wave rectified signal. A third twin diode GXSGT tube I63, whose cathode is one side of the output reference voltage, and whose plate circuits are adjusted by poten tiometers I64 and I65, which effectively varies the number of degrees rotation necessarily made by the rotor of the Selsyn generator I00 before maximum output voltage is reached, constitutes the other line of the reference voltage. The value of this voltage can be made equal to the reference voltage of the main electronic control panel I48 to which it s connected by adjusting the potentiometers I64 and I65 for maximum displacements of the rotor of the Selsyn generator I08.

A third transformer I66 for tube filament vo a'ie supply, two reactors I61 apd I68, two resistors I69 and H0, and two capacitors Ill and H2 necessary for circuit performance complete the 568371! control panel assembly.

The operation of this improved grinding machine and work rotating mechanism will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure. As-

suming the parts to have been all previously ad-.

justcd for a grinding operation, a work piece 515 is insertLd in the machine and the wheel driving motor I1 is started to rotate the grinding wheel I2. The start switch I45 is then closed to start the headstock motor 93 which rotates at an ini- :tial set speed preferably at a speed normally used for a rough grinding operation. The con trol lever I 39 is then rocked in a counterclock wise direction (Fig. l) to close the circuit to energize electric time delay relay I42 which in turn serves to energize the solenoid 8I so as to shift the stem 10 of the feed control valve 69 toward the left so that fluid under pressure from the pump 61 passing through the pipe 66 will pass through the valve chamber I5, through the pas-. sage "into the cylinder chamber 6| to cause the piston 58 to move rapidly toward the left to cause a rapid approaching movement of the grinding wheel I2. The rapid approaching movement continues, as above described, until the sleeve 89 picks up the dash pot pistons 81 and 88 to slow down the rapid approaching movement to a predetermined grinding feed. At the same time the dog or cam I23 carried by the wheel slide II closes the normally open limit switch I22 to energize and open the solenoid valve II9 so that fluid entering the valve chamber I5 may now pass through the pipe II4 into the cylinder chamber II5 to move the piston I82 toward the right thereby transmitting motion at a controlled rate to rotate the rotor of the Selsyn generator I which serves in a manner above described automatically to produce a gradually diminishing speed of the work driving motor during the grinding operation. The grinding cycle continues until the time delay relay I42 after a predetermined time interval has lapsed breaks the circuit to deenergize the solenoid 8I thus releasing the compression of the spring 80 to return the valve stem ID of the control valve '69 into the position shown in Fig. 1 to cause a rapid rearward movement of the piston 58 and the grinding wheel I2. During this movement fluid under pressure in the pipe 68 enters the valve chamber I5 in the feed control valve 69 and passes through the passage I6 into the cylinder chamber 60. At the same time fluid under pressure is passed into the cylinder chamber 60 to cause a rearward movement of the grinding wheel I2, fluid under pressure is also passed through the pipe II6 into the cylinder chamber III to cause the piston I02 to move toward the left into its initial position as shown in Fig. 1 thereby returning the Selsyn rotor to its initial or maximum speed position.

Itwill thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention apparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the unbodiment above set forth, it is to be understoodthat all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a cylindrical-type grinding machine having a transversely movable wheel slide, a rotatable grinding wheel thereon, a feeding mechanism to move said slide in either direction, a rotatable work support including a headstock rotatably to support a cylindrical-type work piece for grinding the periphery thereof, an adjustable speed headstock motor to rotate a work piece to be ground, control apparatus for said motor including a speed adjusting control apparatus, and means independent of the transverse movement of the wheel slide which is arranged automatically to actuate said speed adjusting control apparatus so as 'to produce a diminishing 7 speed of said motor and work piece from a rough 9 grinding to a finish grinding speed during a grinding cycle.

2. In a cylindrical-type grinding machine having a transversely movable wheel slide, a rotatable grinding wheel thereon, a fluid pressure piston and cylinder to move said slide in either direction, a rotatable work support including a headstock rotatably to support a cylindrical-type work piece for grinding the periphery thereof, an adjustable speLd headstock motor to rotate a work piece to be ground, an electronic control apparatus for regulating the speed of said work driving motor, means including a Selsyn generator which is operatively connected to actuate said electronic control apparatus so as to gradually reduce the peripheral speed of the work piece relative to the speed of the grinding wheel from a rough grinding to a finish grinding speed during a grinding operation.

3. In a grinding machine having a rotatable work support including a headstock, a transversely movable wheel slide, a rotatable grinding wheel thereon, a fluid pressure piston and cylinder to feed said slide in either direction, an adjustable speed headstock motor to rotate a work piece to be ground, an electronic control apparatus for regulating the speed of said work driving motor, means including a Selsyn generator having a rotor which is operatively connected to actuate said electronic control apparatus so as to gradually reduce the peripheral speed of the work piece relative to the speed of the grinding wheel from a rough grinding to a finish grinding speed during a grinding operation.

4. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim 3, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a fluid pressure piston and cylinder, and means including a cam actuated thereby for imparting a rotary motion to the Selsyn generator rotor so as to produce a continuously changing work motor speed during a grinding operation.

5. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim 3, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a piston and cylinder, a cam actuated thereby, and means including a follower for said cam to imparta rotary motion to the Selsyn generator rotor so as to produce a continuously changing work motor speed during a grinding operation.

6. In a grinding machine as claimed in claim 3, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a piston and cylinder, a cam rotated thereby, a follower for said cam to impart a rotary motion to the Selsyn generator rotor, and means including a valve actuated in timed relation with movement of the wheel slide to admit fluid to said cylinder so as to start .a rotary movement of the rotor when the wheel moves into engagement with the work.

7. In a, grinding machine as claimed in claim 3, in combination with the parts and features therein specified of a piston and cylinder, a cam rotated thereby. means including a nut and screw to adjust said cam, a follower for said cam to impart a rotary motion to the Selsyn generator rotor, and means including a limit switch actuated by movement of said wheel slide to admit fluid to said cylinder so as to impart a rotary motion to said rotor when the grinding wheel moves into engagement with the work to produce a continuously changing speed to the work driving motor.

8. In a grinding machine having a rotatable work support including a headstock, a transversely movable wheel slide, a rotatable grinding wheel thereon, a feeding mechanism to feed said slide in either direction, an adjustable speed motor to rotate a work piece to be ground, an electronic control apparatus for controlling said motor, means including a Selsyn generator and control apparatus for controlling said electronic control apparatus, and means inclduing a cam actuated mechanism to impart a rotary motion to said Selsyn generator rotor so as to produce a continuously changing work speed during a grinding operation.

ALBERT G. BELDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

